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Hints for Homeowners

Five Steps to Help You Weather Summer Storm Season

WAUKESHA, WI--(Marketwired - June 01, 2015) - Properly preparing your home and family, before the start of this year's summer and hurricane storm season, will help you be ready for whatever Mother Nature sends your way. The following five tips can help you and your loved ones stay safe.

Charge your electronics before the storm hits. No one can predict if the power will go out during or after a storm, so charge your cell phone, computer and other electronic devices in advance. Put new batteries in flashlights and have a backup case of batteries in a watertight container.

Stock up on essentials. Having drinking water, three days of non-perishable food, extra batteries and waterproof emergency numbers on hand is a smart idea on its own and will come in extra handy if you can't leave your house or you have no power. If you have little ones, create an activity box full of games, cards and books to keep them busy -- and yourself stress-free -- during a storm.

Remove all outdoor furniture prior to the storm. Patio furniture, plants, trashcans and children's toys can become airborne in high winds and damage your house. Put them in a garage or shed.

Invest in hurricane-proof windows and garage doors. When hurricane winds blow, they can damage not only your windows, doors and roof, but also the actual structure of your home. Invest in wind load and impact-resistant garage doors and hurricane-proof windows to protect your home.

Have a backup generator installed. Unlike portable generators, which are another great option to stay powered during summer storms, automatic home backup generators, like those from Generac, turn on automatically when the power goes out. And they don't require refueling, which could be a problem if local gas stations are also without power. Automatic standby generators remain on until power is returned, giving you and your family peace of mind and a sense of safety and security during severe storms and extended power outages.

Preparing now, before a storm hits, is the best way to prevent damage, power outages and stress during hurricane and summer storm season.